The Meaning of His Life
by Psalm 136
Summary: She may be the reason John survives, the why and wherefore he’s alive, the one he’ll care for through the rough and rainy years. Sparky. Involves a diamond ring.


**Title: The Meaning of His Life**

**Author: Psalm 136**

**Rating: K+**

**Summary: She may be the reason John survives, the why and wherefore he's alive, the one he'll care for through the rough and rainy years. Sparky. Involves a diamond ring.**

**Disclaimer: Stargate Atlantis is not mine, and the song in the summary is a modified version of "She" by Elvis Costello. **

**Author's Notes: I hope you enjoy this shameless piece of fluff, and please, please, please review!**

"What?!" Came the shocked and rather horrified voice of Rodney McKay.

"Keep it down, McKay!" Sheppard snapped, glancing around the skeletal crew that manned the control room at such early hours. Well, 'crew' was such a technical term. The only other person present was Chuck Campbell, and John could tell the mild-mannered Canadian was eavesdropping while trying to look like he wasn't. But whatever. He wasn't really worried about this being the new fodder of gossip for the next week.

"Chuck doesn't care!" Rodney hissed, and then gesticulated wildly. "I cannot believe you're considering this!"

"Why wouldn't I?" John asked, exasperated. "We've been dating for over a year, and we admitted we loved each other when we started going out. I think after dating and after 'I love you', getting engaged is the natural order of things!"

Rodney let out several frustrated breaths, sputtering and stuttering several times before forming a coherent sentence. "B-b-but it's **Elizabeth**!" He reiterated.

John nodded, raising his eyebrows as he shook his head, wondering what was with Rodney. "Yeah, it's Elizabeth, who happens to be my girlfriend, by the way." He poked Rodney's chest, smirking as the astrophysicist batted away his hand. "So, what do you think? Think she'll say yes?"

"I don't know why she would." Rodney rolled his eyes as he typed away at his laptop. "I mean, you're a cocky flyboy who prefers to run right into danger."

"Rodney!"

McKay looked up, honestly confused as to why John was frustrated. "What?"

"Do you think she'll say yes?" Sheppard ground out.

"I don't know! I'm not your girlfriend!" Rodney snapped back. "Go away. I have work to do. You know your little stunt with the chair when that friendly little Wraith Hive dropped in and found us? Yeah, you 'accidentally' messed with all of the sensors and now, I have to waste my precious time fixing your mistakes. Go!"

The only thing John could do was roll his eyes and step down from where he'd been perched on a turned-off Ancient machine. As he walked by the technician, he slapped Chuck on the back.

"See ya, Campbell." He said as he walked out of the control room.

Chuck grinned. "Good luck, colonel!" He called cheekily, waving brightly.

Sheppard paused in the hallway and found himself hoping Campbell would keep it to himself, or Elizabeth would know he wanted to marry her before he told her himself. And that would be bad. Very, very bad.

**XXX**

John had everything planned the next day. He had every single thing imaginable prepared. And the weirdest thing wasn't how he'd managed to get flour all over his BDUs and he had had to walk all of the way to his quarters, but rather, the fact he wasn't as nervous as he thought he would be. He thought he should be shaking in his boots. He'd heard stories where men couldn't form a coherent sentence and forgot what they wanted to say. But not him. He was calm. There were a few butterflies floating around in his intestines, but other than that, he was calm and centered.

Weird.

Cleaned up after the baking debacle and in dark jeans and a black shirt with the top two buttons casually undone, and he left it untucked, he made his way to the control room. He'd never admit it, but he'd spent at least twenty minutes choosing an outfit. Very unlike him, but he wanted to look nice for Elizabeth. She was so gorgeous all of the time that sometimes, he felt a little upstaged.

John knew he was drawing a few confused looks as he was rarely out of his uniform, but his eyes were only for the beautiful brunette bent over her work. He opened the door and leaned on the threshold.

"Hey." He greeted her, and she looked up, a smile forming on her face. He returned it heartily. "I know you're probably busy, but I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" She repeated as she stood up, immediately abandoning her work. Normally, she would have refused sadly, and insisted that the translations were important, but there was something about the look on John's face that made her stand up and take his hand.

"Oh yeah." He beamed at her, threading his fingers through hers.

Elizabeth knew something was up. They were both so busy that only a very special occasion warranted taking time from their duties nearing dinner time, right when various members of the expedition came to them with their daily concerns and problems. There was also the small matter of every single person who took part in the Gossip Circle giggled as they passed by. That was the biggest giveaway.

"So, do I get a hint?" Elizabeth asked, looking up at his face.

He pecked her lips sweetly. "Absolutely not."

She pouted slightly. "Not even a small hint?" She stopped him and captured his lips in a kiss that had passion boiling underneath the thin veneer of lovely sweetness.

"Not even a small one." He whispered against her lips. "We're almost there, I promise. If you can keep your hands off of me for one minute…!"

Elizabeth chuckled and let him lead her further into the uninhabited parts of the city. She wondered what could possibly be back here that he wanted her to see it. Her quarters were very close to the control room, and his were not too far from hers. Not that she supposed he'd set up any surprise in either of their rooms. Their types of surprises were restricted to items that could be carried by hand, usually. It was a downside of being a leader of Atlantis.

"Okay." He stopped them in front of a nondescript door. He pulled a strip of black cloth from his pocket. "This okay?"

She nodded, and he slipped the blindfold over her eyes. He tied it gently in her brown curls and then kissed the base of her neck. Momentarily, she leaned back against his warm, broad chest and he held her waist as they let their stresses melt away in each other's presence. Then, John took her hand (probably grinning his head off) and she heard the door open. He slowly led her forward, murmuring quietly to watch for something near her left foot, and telling her to step over something else before he stopped her.

John slowly untied the blindfold, and drew it away. Elizabeth looked around, her mouth slightly agape in wonder. The room was small enough to be considered cozy, and the entire floor, except for one large circle in the middle of the room and a path leading to it, was covered with candles and burning incense. She was standing in the middle of the circle, and there was a soft carpet underneath her feet. To her right, there was a platter of various fruits and finger foods.

"John… oh, wow." She breathed, and turned to him. He was smiling softly at her, and she hugged him. "This is wonderful."

"I'm glad you like it." He lowered both himself and her onto the carpet, and then pulled the tray of food towards them. "Here." He fed her a strawberry, and she daringly licked his fingers.

He raised his eyebrows at her, and she returned the gesture. "What?" She asked innocently.

"You are something." He told her, and she snuggled close to him, sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, and his legs encircling her protectively.

Quietly and without words, they fed each other, watching each other's faces and eyes. Occasionally, he would bend down and press his lips to her cheek, and sometimes, she would draw him close to taste whatever fruit he had just consumed. This was how they liked to spend their time, quietly. Sometimes, there would be a pressing need to talk, but other times, it was silence that brought them closer.

"I love you." She murmured once the platter was empty, and she leaned her head against his neck, listening to his breathing and as he periodically swallowed. She closed her eyes and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you, too." He returned, his voice merely a breath against her hair. "I really do." He continued, his words still very quiet. "I have for a very long time, and now that we're together, I don't know how I survived without you. I love being here, but the reason I keep fighting, the reason I am willing to do anything to get out of situations, is because I cannot stand to be without you."

John felt Elizabeth relax against him, smiling against his warm skin. She doesn't know he had to rehearse this a million times in front of the mirror and had to write about twenty-four versions of this speech on paper to get it right. _She doesn't know that the words are nearly choking him as he pushes them out, but she knows this must be hard for him._ He kissed the top of her head and gathered himself once more.

"There's a lot of things I thought I wanted, but now, all I want is you." He found himself automatically standing up and bringing her with him. He knew that she wasn't traditional, but he wanted to do this the right way. He also secretly knew that she had dreams of fairytale proposals and knights in shining armor. She'd have to settle for a soldier in civilian clothes, but he felt a warmth grow in his chest when he realized she was happy with him.

He knelt down before her, and held one of her hands. Her eyes were filled with tears she was trying to hold back, but when she blinked, three tears dropped onto her cheeks. With his other hand, he reached into his pocket, nearly paling when he felt it wasn't there. Sheepishly grinning, he switched hands and found the small, black velvet box he was searching for.

Elizabeth let out a small gasp she couldn't contain when he opened the box. Inside was a simple ring. The band was white gold, and on top was a single diamond. It was just another ring that could be found on countless other women's hands, but for Elizabeth, it was the **engagement ring** John Sheppard had picked for her to wear. It was **her** ring, if she wanted it to be, if she wanted him.

"When I look at you, I don't see just another woman. I don't see just a diplomat or just a leader. When I look at you, I see the woman who carries my future in the palm of her hand. Will you…" He had to pause and take a breath; his palms were sweaty and his pulse was erratic. He was starting to think his blood pressure was far too high. "Will you marry me?"

It was a simple question, with a simple answer. Some women needed days or weeks to know if they wanted to be married to a man, but this same thing had been simmering on Elizabeth's mind for a few months, and as she looked down at John, honesty and anxiety in his gorgeous green eyes, she knew she wanted to be with this man. He was an enigma, one she wanted to spend a lifetime unraveling.

"I will." She whispered, his blatantly handsome features and the look in his eyes stealing her breath.

John fumbled with the box, and then slid the ring onto her left hand. He stood up, and then kissed the back of that same hand. He slipped his arms around her waist and drew her close. "There." He smiled. "Everything's perfect, now."

Elizabeth couldn't find anything wrong with his statement as he kissed her tenderly.


End file.
